Deviants (Homo descendus)
Official Name: Deviants Origin Home Planet: Earth First Appearance: ''Eternals'' #1 (July 1976) Created By: Jack Kirby Origin: One million years ago, the First Host of the Celestials created the Deviants for their own inscrutable reasons. History Ancient Past Our own species, Homo sapiens, did not exist a million years ago. When the Celestials arrived, they found a species called Homo erectus (so named because they walked upright). From that gene pool they derived two new species: the Eternals and the Deviants. They deliberately destabilized Deviant DNA to encourage mutations. This genetic chaos has had several interesting ramifications. First, their rate of mutation is much higher than that of Homo sapiens. The few children who survive rarely resemble their own parents. For most of their history, their priesthood has culled the most radical mutations and sacrificed them. Others who differ too much from the human baseline are called Mutates, who often wander away or are exiled. Some of them have encountered normal humans and given rise to folklore, that is, stories about "trolls," "ogres," or other monsters. By the same token, Deviants who have not mutated enough, i.e. they appear "too human," are shunned, sometimes exiled, sometimes even killed. Conversely, beneficial mutations occur more often. A typical Deviant has one or more traits that exceed the human norm, such as intelligence, strength, or lifespan, or may have an entirely new ability. The only thing Deviants have in common is that they are all uncommon. Second, their homogeneity, rather than fostering tolerance, has made the Deviants hostile to all species, none more so than their own. The most basic positive feelings, such as the love between parent and child, or between husband and wife, are almost nonexistent in Deviant society. Other positive feelings, such as friendship, loyalty, and patriotism, thus have no emotional bedrock to support them. Those few Deviants who experience such feelings keep them hidden. Third, their origins have bound them to the Celestials and the Eternals. They once worshiped the Celestials as their makers. They see the Eternals as rivals and have warred against them throughout their history. World Rulers With their higher mutation rate, Deviants evolved faster than humans. Thus, they developed technology sooner. By approximately 20,000 BCE, they had built cities, above and below ground, and developed genetic engineering. Only their mistrust of each other and their constant battles with the Eternals had kept them from conquering Earth. In about 18,000 BCE, though, they controlled the whole planet except for Atlantis, from their capital on Lemuria. The Second Host of the Celestials arrived on Earth circa 16,000 BCE. The Deviants, in the middle of another assault on Atlantis, attacked the Celestial ship. In retaliation, the Celestials bombed Lemuria. At the same time, the Atlanteans opened their magma vents to drive off the Deviants. The bomb destroyed Lemuria, and the shock waves from it, combined with the open vents, sank Atlantis. This Great Cataclysm reshaped the Earth's surface. Most of the Deviants died in the blast and in the subsequent devastation. The survivors took refuge in their underground cities. They stopped worshipping the Celestials in general; now they worshipped the "Dreaming Celestial," whom they believed had been punished for creating them. The priesthood changed Purity Time, their culling ritual; now they put the "sacrifices" in suspended animation as an army to attack the Celestials when they returned. The modern amphibious Atlanteans appeared around 6,500 BCE. The Deviants may have created them as an experiment. Modern Era The Third Host of the Celestials visited circa 1,000 BCE. The Deviants and the Eternals called a truce between themselves and pledged to stop interfering with humans until the Fourth Host would arrive. In 1976, the Fourth Host arrived to judge Earth. Their truce with the Eternals over, the Deviants saw humans and Eternals alike as fair game. As usual, though, they spent as much, if not more, effort on disputes with each other. They did manage to invade Olympia, the home of the Eternals. Led by the high priest, Brother Tode, the Deviants posed such a threat that the Eternals formed their Uni-Mind, trapped the invaders in a stone block, and took it into space. After the Fourth Host found Earth acceptable, they abandoned their plan to destroy it and left. The history of Lemuria since then has mainly consisted of a series of power struggles between the priesthood (usually represented by Ghaur) and the monarchy (usually represented by Kro). Deviant Groups In the mid-20th century, a group of idealistic Deviants, Eternals, and humans put aside their differences and created the Damocles Foundation. The invention of the atomic bomb convinced them that all three species need to find a way to coexist, which will only happen when they recombine into a single species. They believe that that single species will be mutants, and they intend to control the future by creating and controlling those mutants. Their leader is Odysseus Indigo; current members include a group called Sword (made up of Argos the Hunter, Pyre, Stranglehold, and Zona), Marcelus, and Veeg; deceased members include Finn, Randy Lee Watson, and Weller; former members include Ulysses Dragonblood. As it turned out, the Celestials had created Deviants on other worlds. The Deviants of Earth learned of them when a group of extraterrestrial Deviants arrived, having overthrown their own worlds' base species. The two groups naturally refused to assimilate, so the newcomers established a city called Lyonesse beneath New York. They intend to conquer Earth as they did other worlds. The Underground Legion is a government-backed team of Deviants, mutants, and heroes protecting the secret of Lyonesse. They call their leader Blackwulf, even though the original Blackwulf (Pelops) died. His brother Lucian replaced him. The Delta Network consists of Deviants, from both Lemuria and Lyonesse, who hope that one day the Deviants can rejoin their human cousins and assimilate themselves into humanity at large. Not surprisingly, most of them already appear human. A group of Delta Network members, calling themselves Delta Force and led by Kro, has undertaken one mission; members include Dark Angel/Tzabaoth (Donald & Deborah Ritter), Dragona, Enigmo, Karkas, Ransak the Reject, El Toro Rojo, and Metabo. Notable Deviants include Ahqlau, Broop, Ignatz, Karygmax, Ragar, Shelmar, Sledge, Sluice, Spike, Taras Vol, Tutinax the Mountain-Mover, and Queen Vira. Not-so-notable Deviants (appearing only once) include Chudar, Coal, Darg, General Dasrax, Dulpus, Erishkigal, Fascit, Frathag, Haag, Jorro, Nuncio Klarheit, Lugner, Medula, Morga, Plokohrel, Phraug, Ranar, String, Thunder, Tobias, Brother Visara, Yrdisis, and Zakka. Notable Mutates include Brutus, Dromedan, Giganto, Gigantus (Aquatic Monster), Glomm, Gorgilla, Gort, Maelstrom, Molten Man-Thing, and Tricephalous. Other Mutates include Bandrhude, Cataphrax, Megataur, Minotaur, Neolithic, Spore, and the World-Devouring Worm. Deviants of Lyonesse include Bristle, Id, Khult, Lady Trident, Mammoth, Nirvana (deceased), Pandara, Schizo, Tantalus (deceased), Touchstone, Toxin (not to be confused with Toxin), and Wraath. Beings usually associated with the Deviants, but who are not Deviants themselves, include Grottu (a mutated ant) and the Lizard Men of Subterranea. Miscellaneous Type of Government: alternates between feudal monarchy and theocracy Level of Technology: Advanced Cultural Traits: xenophobia Notes * No special notes. Recommended Readings * Related Articles *Celestials *Eternals *Lemuria References * External links *Appendix Eternal Profiles *Marvel Directory Category:Races Category:Image Needed